09-05-2025
Lewis Hamilton Wants to Make a New Ferrari F40: What Could It Look Like?
According to Fred Smith at Car & Driver, "Lewis Hamilton Says He Wants to Design a Stick-Shift Ferrari Inspired by the F40." To most car enthusiasts, this statement alone is a major blessing, even without an official announcement in sight. With Ferrari developing fully-electric models that will supposedly have simulated engine noises, it's more than refreshing to hear that even top Formula 1 racing drivers are desperate for legacy exotic automakers to bring back truly analog performance cars that aim towards one goal above all else: to evoke an unparalleled emotional response from the driver.
That one-of-a-kind adrenaline rush, like the vehicular equivalent of a double espresso martini chased with a shot of reposado, is what cemented the Ferrari F40 as an undisputed automotive legend. While the F40 was certainly no slouch, putting down a 3.8-second 0-60 mph time and producing 471 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V8, its performance figures and on-paper statistics are not why collectors and dreamers alike covet the car so greatly to this day. In fact, it's what accompanies those figures–the variables that you might not notice on the brochure, but will be at the forefront of your mind whilst behind the wheel–that make the F40 so breathtakingly captivating.
For example, even Ferrari's most basic current mid-engine sports car, the 296 GTB, makes over 800 horsepower using a hybridized, twin-turbocharged V6, and accelerates from 0-60 in just 2.4 seconds–an utter barnstormer compared to the comparably sluggish F40, at least on paper. Despite the 296 GTB's objectively superior statistics, a Ferrari F40 will cost you literal millions of dollars more to own. That's because the magic of the F40 doesn't lie within its statistics, but rather in how well it satisfies the cathartic urges of the die-hard automotive enthusiast. The Ferrari F40 has no stereo, no air conditioning, no driver assist nannies like traction control or stability control (and forget about lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control), weighs almost 500 lbs. less than the 296 GTB, and sends its power to its rear wheels exclusively through a five-speed manual transmission. The F40 does none of the work for you, and in return, doing that work is precisely what makes the F40 such a memorable machine to operate.
Upon the reveal of Ferrari's latest entry into its storied lineage of flagship supercars–the Ferrari F80–the Internet was flooded with livid car enthusiasts who were disappointed with the model's lack of panache and uniqueness compared to its many beloved predecessors, such as the hybrid V12-powered LaFerrari, the tantalizing Enzo, the exquisite F50, the timelessly iconic F40, and the groundbreaking 288 GTO. Whether it be the F80's V6 powertrain, its relatively uninspired styling, or its overabundance of computer-controlled driver assistance systems, the F80's diminished appeal echoes throughout the rest of Ferrari's modern lineup.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the Ferrari 296, and its use of a V6 engine doesn't bother me in the slightest. If you've ever experienced a Dino 246 GT, then you're well aware that Ferrari is more than capable of executing an emotionally-stirring and engaging six-cylinder engine. For myself, and for many enthusiasts world-over, Ferrari's contemporary monotony can be blamed on stringent government regulations on automakers, forced electrification, too many driver assistance nannies, a shift away from Pininfarina-penned styling, and automatic transmissions that, while shifting much more quickly, remove the driver even further from an experience that's already been diluted by "features" like electronic power steering and adaptive suspension systems. Thankfully, now that Lewis Hamilton has gained a footing at Ferrari, it seems he plans on using his influence to convince Ferrari not to abandon its coveted heritage entirely.
Lewis's idea to create a limited production, manually shifted Ferrari inspired by the original F40 isn't actually as radical as it may seem. Aston Martin employed a similar strategy with the Valour, which saw a 110-unit production run of a uniquely styled model that paired the brand's 705-horsepower twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12 with a six-speed manual transmission. According to Charlie Martin at Autocar, the Valour "sold out within two weeks of its unveiling." Even Porsche cashed in on the analog hype with their 911 S/T, which saw a 1,963-unit production run and paired the 911 GT3RS's naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six with a manual transmission and other analog-focused enhancements. It seems like a no-brainer that a spiritually revived Ferrari F40 could achieve similar success in securing sales and skyrocketing brand excitement.
Employing a similar strategy to Aston Martin and Porsche, Ferrari could even use existing parts and running gear to get the job done. Perhaps the most obvious powertrain for the job would be the twin-turbocharged, flat-plane crankshaft 4.0-liter V8 found in the contemporary SF90, sans the heavy batteries and electric motors. Rid of its electrification, the SF90's V8 produces up to 769 horsepower on its own–more than enough to overshadow the likes of the 705-horsepower Aston Martin Valour or the 518-horsepower Porsche 911 S/T. Paired with a gated manual transmission and rear-wheel drive, such a configuration sounds like an immediate recipe for success. With Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel on the test track, the spiritually revived F40 would undoubtedly be set up not with track performance or efficiency prioritized in mind, but rather tuned to provide the most physically and emotionally exhilarating experience possible.
We're rooting for Lewis Hamilton here, because his idea seems like an utter no-brainer for Ferrari. With a record seven Formula 1 world championship titles, Hamilton is tied only with Michael Schumacher in his racing championship success. Schumacher himself was heavily involved with the development of the Ferrari Enzo–a more than respectable entry in the F40's familial lineage that set the stage for the brand's 21st-century pursuits. We're eager to see how Hamilton contributes to a spiritual revival of the legendary Ferrari F40, but as nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet, we'll just have to wait and see what kind of magic Ferrari and Hamilton can concoct collectively.
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